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Facilities at Mehaffey, Barnes will remain closed all winter

By Pamela Johnson

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:
01/11/2018 05:38:16 PM MST

A sign on the restroom door at Mehaffey Park in Loveland tells visitors it is closed because of vandalism. The restroom will remain closed all winter, and a portable bathroom has been located at the park. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

The bathrooms at Mehaffey Park and those near the batting cages at Barnes Park will be closed for the winter due to extensive vandalism and inappropriate behavior.

City parks officials have closed the bathrooms for the winter because of ongoing behaviors, including a string of vandalism incidents in the restrooms at Mehaffey.

Most of the damage that has occurred since fall was relatively small and could be repaired easily, but the latest, which occurred a week ago, will require a special contractor for repairs and could cost up to $2,000, according to information from Dan Willadsen, the city's parks manager.

Someone carved profane sentences into the stalls and toilet seats, broke toilet paper dispensers and toilet seats among other damage in both the men's and women's restrooms at Mehaffey, Willadsen reported.

"This is by far the worst single incident of vandalism," Willadsen said, describing damage throughout the facilities. "There's language in there you don't want kids to see."

Parks officials decided to close the bathrooms during repairs and throughout the winter season, which sees much less usage than during warmer months. At Barnes Park, Willadsen said, the closure is due to indications of "inappropriate behavior" rather than damage.

A portable bathroom has been placed at Mehaffey Park; and at Barnes Park, other bathrooms are available a short walk away at Fairgrounds Park, according to Willadsen.

"We're not eliminating access to a restroom," he said. "We're just changing that."

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For people who make reservations at the park for a large gathering, the city will open the restrooms during those times only, Willadsen added.

Parks officials close restroom facilities for the winter at many parks throughout the city to ensure that pipes will not freeze during cold temperatures. However, Mehaffey and Barnes are among those that typically remain open in the winter season.

Those that are open during the winter are unlocked in the morning and closed for the night about 9:30 p.m. Parks officials are considering closing all the restrooms earlier, at dusk, over the winter. That decision will be made soon based upon logistics.

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